Security forces are investigating the source of shots fired at a group-of soldiers last night who were driving past Herod’s Gate in the Old City of Jerusalem. Preliminary reports said that five shots were fired, apparently from inside the gate, which faces Saladin Street, a main thoroughfare in East Jerusalem. No one was hurt. The vicinity of Herod’s Gate was combed but no arrests were made last night. Troops were occasionally stoned by local residents during the search.
East Jerusalem was in the fast few days the scene of several extremist attempts aimed at triggering new school unrest and street riots to protest against Israeli settlement plans on the West Bank. Five students who participated over the past week in skirmishes during which roadblocks were set up and truck tires were burned in East Jerusalem, went on trial today.
Meanwhile, skirmishes were reported yesterday in Jenin and Nablus, where attempts to renew street demonstrations were foiled by security forces. A central street in Jenin was closed for traffic yesterday after timed explosives were discovered just before they were set to go off. They were removed and dismantled by sappers.
TERRORISTS BEING HELD
A group of some 40 terrorists who were captured recently in the Jenin area, are being held pending a trial. The group, which includes three women, is believed responsible for the murder last May of Israel Friedman, an Israeli truck driver, who was killed after he had brought back a group of Arab workers to their village near Jenin.
According to security sources, the group served both El Fatah and the rival Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine. Their objectives were to prevent West Bank Arabs from crossing the green line to work in Israel and to kill Arabs considered collaborating with Israel. They received their instructions through coded messages over the Voice of Palestine. After their capture, the terrorists led police to their arms caches, some of which have existed since before the Six-Day War.
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